Melbourne, Fla., October 28, 2021-
Sources: Rick Neale, Florida Today
Hypower’s project at the Melbourne Orlando International Airport (MLB) in the US has marked a ‘major milestone’ by topping out its $72m terminal renovation and expansion. Wednesday morning, dozens of dignitaries and construction workers used colorful Sharpie pens to autograph a white-painted metal beam outside the Melbourne Orlando International Airport passenger terminal.
“Five months from now, Boeing 787s coming trans-Atlantic — carrying hundreds of international visitors — will be parked in the very spot where you’re standing,” Greg Donovan, airport executive director, told more than 100 attendees of the “topping-out ceremony. That’s really remarkable”
The 86,000-square-foot, multistory MLB terminal expansion is scheduled for a ribbon-cutting ceremony ahead of TUI’s March 7 first flight. The U.K. travel company is projected to fly in about 150,000 passengers during its inaugural year in Melbourne, operating two or three Dreamliner flights a day.
Donovan said TUI passengers spend an average of nine nights at their destination areas, spending about $3,200 each.
Dating to 1989, MLB’s passenger terminal measures just more than 200,000 square feet with six domestic gates and one international gate. The expansion will add three new gates that can accommodate domestic and international flights, along with a:
- Departure lounge with new gates, eateries, retail shops and furniture.
- Four-lane security checkpoint.
- Expanded international baggage claim.
- Welcome center.
The project also includes updates to the airport atrium and ticketing areas, along with four new sets of restrooms. Airport-generated funds and grants are financing the project, not taxpayer funds.
“Our $72 million investment will provide decades of return for the community, for our region. And the airport (has) a proud moment right now to see this project take shape,” Donovan said.
In addition to TUI, low-cost carrier Allegiant will debut twice-weekly nonstop flights next month to Concord, North Carolina; Nashville, Tennessee; and Pittsburgh.
The cost of the terminal project increased from $61 million to $72 million because of shortages in manpower and raw materials, Airport Finance Director Mike O’Dell told the Melbourne City Council earlier this month.
Melbourne airline passenger counts are up 47.8% year-over-year as the industry continues to rebound from the COVID-19 pandemic. This year’s count stood at 241,952 passengers in September, up from 163,685 year-to-date passengers in September 2020.
In May last year, MLB appointed a team consisting of Haskell, RS&H and Kinley for the design and development of the airport’s design/build project. Hypower is proud to be a part of the team!
Haskell infrastructure and transportation president Peter Kinsley said: “This project has reached an important construction milestone through unprecedented challenges. This is a testament to the outstanding teamwork and collaboration from all project stakeholders, working together to deliver this exciting project for the airport and the surrounding community. As an organization whose purpose is to create things that matter, we are grateful and proud to serve the Melbourne Orlando International Airport in this important work.”
This terminal renovation and expansion project intends to establish MLB as ‘the new coastal gateway to Central Florida for TUI, the world’s largest travel group and the UK’s number one holiday provider’ by March next year.
The new facilities are expected to handle the airport’s projected influx of 150,000 new international passengers during its initial year of operation.
Hypower’s scope:
- VDC/BIM was used for all design and trade coordination.
- FPL secondary service from the existing vault to feed new outdoor 3,000 amp main service/ATS combination switchboard.
- Generator backup of the new service.
- Boring 10 – 4” HDPE UG conduits and 4-1” PVC conduits under existing concrete areas.
- Complete power and service distribution and branching of the electrical system.
- Power and communication to new Passenger Boarding Bridges (PBB) to planes.
- Security check-in power, communications, and security connections for passenger check-in boarding areas.
- Power to new baggage claim areas for Domestic and International flights.
- Access control system.
- Fire-alarm and security systems.
- Trimble layout of cable tray system, multi gang floor boxes, and over 60 poke-through devices.
- All LED Lighting fixtures and specialty lighting for new and existing areas.
- Work performed in all areas of the existing airport and the new addition to accommodate the new Boeing 787 “Dreamliner” planes and a new Welcome Center.
Hypower has long been widely recognized for its culture of innovation and industry excellence. It was named a 2017 Business of The Year and a 2018 Healthiest Employer and a 2020 Best Places to Work Honoree by the South Florida Business Journal. Hypower holds the distinction of winning the highest number of Eagle Awards won by any contractor- six 2017 Excellence in Construction Awards, five 2018 Excellence in Construction Awards. Hypower also won the prestigious Specialty Contractor Project of the Year at the Excellence in Construction Awards by the Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC), Florida East Coast Chapter in 2018 and 2020. Hypower is currently recognized as a TOP 30 Electrical Contractor in the nation by Associated Builders and Contractors. The company was included in ABC’s 2019 Top 150 Performers list in the USA and was named Accredited Quality Contractor in 2018, 2019, and 2020. The company places an extraordinary emphasis on safety and loss prevention from an employee, job site, and public safety perspective- Hypower was honored with an ABC STEP Platinum Award for Safety Training consecutively in the last six years. In 2020, Hypower’s President Bernard Paul-Hus was honored with the 2020 South Florida Ultimate CEO Award by the South Florida Business Journal.
About Hypower
As one of the Southeast's top commercial general, electrical, and utility contractors, Hypower operates through several divisions specializing in heavy civil electrical infrastructure, electrical building construction, outside plant power and communications projects, airfield lighting, and ground-mount and floating solar farms nationwide. The company also specializes in 24/7 commercial and industrial electrical service and special projects in Florida. Founded in 1991 and headquartered in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Hypower employs over 700 people and has successfully completed over 1,500 projects valued at over $1.5 billion. Licensed to operate in more than 30 states, Hypower consistently ranks at the top of national leaderboards for its exemplary safety and innovation record within the construction market.
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Peter Stoykov
Marketing Director
marketing/at/ hypowerinc.com
5913 NW 31st Ave
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33309
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